Shawl-strap handle



'J. B. PERKINS. ShawlStrap Handle. 3

WITNESSES?- INVENTORI &%W /5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. PERKINS, OF TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHAWL-STRAP HANDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 239,540, dated March 29, 1881.

Application filed Febrnary 28, 1880.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN B. PERKINS, of Taunton', in the county of Bristol, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shawl-Strap Handles; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. i

This invention has reference to an improvement in the handle for shawl, book, or parcel straps, and in means for taking up the strap, for tightening the strap on the parcel, and for securing the strap.

The object of this invention is to so arrange the handle of a shawl or parcel strap or cord that the handle will be held in a fixed position above the parcel, so that the hand can readily grasp the same, the handle being provided with spools, on which the straps can be wound by turning the handle, this handle being made in two parts, so that either both parts may be turned at the same time or each independently of the other, the handle being also provided with means by which it will be automatically held and the strap or cord firmly secured,

' so that the parcel may be conveniently carried without the danger of getting loose.

The invention consists in the arrangement, with abracket, of a handle divided into two parts, to the ends of which spools or similar devices are secured, on which the straps or cords can be wound by turningthe handle, and also a device by which the handle, or each or both of its parts, in whichever direction turned, is automatically secured in the desired position and firmly held, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing my imp: oved handle secured by two straps to bool Fig. 2 shows an elongated hole for the pin on the handle and a locking-disk secured tothchandle. When thehandleisraiseditmay be freely turned, but when the locking-disk is lowered onto the stud the handle is locked and cannot turn. Fig. 3 is a side view of the device shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section, showing the manner of separating the handle, so that the two ends may be moved apart and each end may be wound independent of the other, and both will be retained by the I devicesecured to one end of the handle. Fig.

5 is a modified form of locking device for retaining the handle or its parts from rotation when turned up from either direction.

In the drawings, a is the base of the bracket, which, when in use, rests on the parcel.

.b b are slots inthe base a, through which the straps cc pass. In place of the straps, cords may be used.

d is the divided handle, supported in the standards a of the base a by a pin passing through it, and its ends having bearings in the standards, so that the handle can be readily turned in these hearings.

e c are spools .placed on each end of the handle, which spools may consist of two rods, to which the ends of thestraps are secured, or may form a portion of the handle and have the ends of the straps or cord secured in any manner most desirable. These spools may be provided with flanges, so as to guide the straps, I

or be made without these.

f f represent dentated disks placed on the ends of the handle.

9 g are stops, by means of which the disks f are held against rotation, and they are all so arranged that when the straps have been tightened, by turning the handle (I and winding the strap on the handle, the stops will hold the disks and prevent the-handle from rotating so as to loosen the straps.

The handle is made in two parts and each end provided with a locking device; or the two parts may be connected by some looking device, such as is shown in Fig. 4., and be held together by the spring of the bracket to, or by means of a special spring, h, as shown in Fig. 4. Instead of the locking device shown in Fig. 2, I may use with my divided handle the ratchet or disk and double-pawl mechanism shown in Fig. 5. One or the other of these pawls will hold the handle or its parts from prematurely releasing the strap or straps, notwithstanding the direction from which it may have been wound up. Further, one of these pawls will hold the handle when the tension is on the spring h, and the other when the strap has been secured to the desired extent.

When the elongated slot is used, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the handle may be made in one or two parts, as desired, and the strain of the strap, when the bundle is tightened up, will be sufficient to hold the handle-disks f in close contact and locked with the stop, lugs, or pins g until forcibly released.

By the use of this device shawls, books, or parcels may be easily carried. The device can be quickly secured and the strap firmly fastened and quickly released, thus forming a more convenient article than those heretofore constructed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent 1. A carrying device for shawl-straps, consistin g of the bracket 0 0b a and the handle '11, made in two parts and supported in said bracket, so that its parts may have united or independent rotation in either direction, in combination with the spools e e, the lockingdisk f, and the stop 9, to hold said handle when it is turned into the proper position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The straps c, a handle, and the toothed or notched disk f, combined with a stop, g, and a frame having an elongated slot, whereby the handle, when turned to tighten the strap, is retained by the strain of the straps moving the handle in the elongated slot, so as to lock the disk and stop together, substantially as described.

JOHN B. PERKINS. Witnesses:

J OSEPH A. MILLER, JOSEPH A. MILLER, Jr. 

